Adjustable cable support structure

ABSTRACT

An adjustable cable support member includes a first track defining first and second channels extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second track at least partially slideably received within the first and second channels of the first track in the longitudinal direction for enabling adjustment of the overall length of the cable support member. The first track and the second track define a cable receiving space extending continuously in the longitudinal direction over the length of the cable support member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to support structures, and moreparticularly, to an adjustable structure for supporting cables and otherconduits.

BACKGROUND

Safe working environments, and more generally, personal safety in publicor private venues, continues to be of critical concern for privateindustry and government alike. Many of these environments, such asconstruction sites, concert or other entertainment venues, or conventioncenters, often rely on significant electrical and other poweredequipment. This equipment typically requires large amounts of associatedelectrical cables or other conduits (e.g., power and/or signal cables,and/or pneumatic or hydraulic lines) routed to various locations andfrom various sources arranged remotely from one another. As a result,potential safety hazards may be created in the areas of high foottraffic, such as along walkways and/or proximate doorways and otheropenings. Routing these lines, for example, along the floor of a sitepresents several drawbacks, including creating tripping and/orelectrocution hazards, as well as subjecting the equipment andassociated lines to unnecessary damage and/or wear.

Safe and acceptable cable handing practices generally include elevatingor suspending these conduits in areas of exposure, so as not to comeinto contact with or pose a tripping hazard for, a worker or a patron.Currently suspension solutions include attaching cables to existingstructures, such as to walls or other preexisting existing equipment.However, such solutions are often time consuming and/or difficult toinstall and/or uninstall without creating damage (e.g., anchor holes ofother mounting surface damage) which must be addressed.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods to quickly andefficiently route cables and other conduits over or otherwise aroundselect areas.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an adjustablecable support member is provided. The support member includes a firsttrack defining a first channel extending in a longitudinal directionthereof, and a second track at least partially slideably received withinthe first channel of the first track in the longitudinal direction foradjusting an overall length of the cable support member. The first trackand the second track define a cable receiving space therein extendingcontinuously in the longitudinal direction over the length of the cablesupport member.

Accordingly to another embodiment of the present disclosure, anadjustable cable support assembly is provided. The assembly includes acable support member defining a cable space over a length thereof andconfigured to receive at least one cable therein. The member furthersincludes a first track defining a first channel extending in alongitudinal direction thereof, and a second track at least partiallyslideably received within the first channel of the first track in thelongitudinal direction for adjusting an overall length of the cablesupport member. A first vertically adjustable support is connectedproximate a first end of the cable support member, and a secondvertically adjustable support is connected proximate a second end of thecable support member for supporting the cable support member in anelevated position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying figures, of which:

FIG. 1 is front perspective view of an adjustable cable supportstructure or assembly according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the cable support structure ofFIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first end of the cable supportstructure shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the first end of the cable support structureshown in FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a second end of the cable support structureshown in FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the second end of the cable supportstructure shown in FIG. 5 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter indetail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like referencenumerals refer to like elements. The invention may, however, be embodiedin many different forms and should not be construed as being limited tothe embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are providedso that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and willfully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

The disclosure relates to an elevated, adjustable cable supportstructure or “cable bridge” useful for routing cables and other conduitsin an elevated position around doorways and other openings to avoidunnecessary obstructions along a path of foot traffic, for example.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1 and 2 , perspective views of an elevatedcable guide or cable support structure 10 for routing one or more cables1 in an elevated position according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure are shown. The cable support structure 10 includes twotelescoping or otherwise height-adjustable vertical support elements ormembers 12, each connecting to and supporting an end of an expandablecable support member 20. Each vertical support member 12 includes afixed end 14 attached to a horizontally extending base 15 for enablingthe support members to be free-standing in the illustrated verticalorientation. Each support member 12 further includes at least onemoveable end or segment 16 adjustable or moveable in a verticaldirection Y with respect to the fixed end 14. The moveable end 16 isselectively fixable in a plurality of positions with respect to thefixed end 14 for positioning a respective end of the cable supportmember 20 at a desired height. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixedend 14 and the moveable end 16 define a telescoping arrangement thatfurther includes a moveable intermediate segment 17 arranged between thefixed end 14 and the moveable end 16, providing for further adjustment(i.e., increased range) of the overall length of the vertical supportmember 12. As shown, the vertical support member 12 further includes oneor more locking collars 18 for selectively fixing the vertical positionof the moveable end 16, the intermediate segment 17, and/or the fixedend 14 in an infinite number of positions relative to one another viathe selective application of friction force between the ends and/orsegments. While locking collars are shown, it should be understood thatother forms of fixation between the ends and/or segments may be used,such a spring-loaded locking pin(s) or clevis pin(s) and associatedapertures, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The cable support member 20 according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure includes a first member and a second member moveably attachedto one another. More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, thefirst member comprises a first track 22 and the second member comprisesa second track 24. The first and second tracks 22,24 are engageable withone another and moveable relative to one another in an axial of thecable support member 20 direction (i.e., along an axis of elongation)for adjusting its overall length L. As shown in greater detail in FIG. 2, each of the tracks 22,24 of the cable support member 20 includesprovisions for attaching to the moveable end 16 of each vertical supportmember 12. For example, in one embodiment, the cable support member 20includes at least two receivers 25, embodied herein as hollowprotrusions opening and extending in a downward vertical direction fromeach of the first and second tracks 22,24. The receivers 25 are sized soas to accommodate a portion of each of the movable ends 16 therein. Thecable support member 20 may be placed over the vertical support members16, and secured thereto by slideably inserting the end portions of thevertical support members 12 within the receivers 25. In this way, acable support member according to embodiments of the present disclosuremay be universal to the extent that it can be mated with and/orsupported by a variety of different vertical support structures, such asexisting off-the-shelf pole stands, increasing its usability andpracticality in the field.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first track 22 comprises a bodyhaving a generally U-shaped external cross-section, including a basewall 30 and two outer sidewalls 32 extending generally perpendicularlyfrom the base wall. The outer sidewalls 32 define a wall of respectivefirst and second channels 35,37 defined by the first track 22. The firsttrack 22 further comprises two opposing inner sidewalls 34, eacharranged generally parallel with a corresponding one of the outersidewalls 32. Each outer sidewall 32 may be fixedly attached to arespective inner sidewall 34 via a respective top wall 36 extendingbetween an end of each outer sidewall 32 and an end of each respectiveinner sidewall 34. The inner sidewalls 34 extend from the top walls 36in a direction toward the base wall 30. In this way, a respective one ofthe outer sidewalls 32, the top walls 36 and the inner sidewalls 34define each of the channels 35,37. Each channel 35,37 comprises agenerally continuous hollow space extending in the longitudinaldirection of the cable support member 20. Further, each inner sidewall34 comprises a free end opposite the top wall 36, defining a gap oropening 31 between the inner sidewall 34 and the base wall 30. Theopenings 31 may be defined continuously along an entire length of thefirst track 22.

The cable support member 20 defines a cable space 50 arranged betweenopposing inner sidewalls of the first and second tracks 22,24 andextending continuously in a longitudinal direction thereof. The cablespace 50 is sized so as to accommodate one of more cables or otherconduits therein, and guide such elements along a length of the cablesupport member. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the firsttrack 22 further comprises a rounded free end 33 extending from the basewall 30. The rounded free end 33 may define a convex protruding surfacehaving an axis of curvature oriented generally transverse to thelongitudinal direction of the cable support member 20. In oneembodiment, an arcuate surface defined by the rounded free end comprisesan arc length extending over at least 90 degrees. The rounded free end33 ensures that cables or other conduits are not damaged entering and/orexiting the cable support member 20 in these high stress and otherwisesharp areas.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the second track 24 comprises a bodyhaving a generally U-shaped cross-section including a base wall 40having two opposing sidewalls 42 extending generally perpendicularlytherefrom. The cross-section of the second track 24 is generallycomplementary to that of the first track 22 such that the second trackis insertable into and engageable with the first track 22. Morespecifically, the two opposing sidewalls 42 of the second track 24 arereceivable within the channels 35,37 defined by the first track 22, andslideable therein the longitudinal direction of the first track 22. Thebase wall 40 of the second track 24 is aligned generally parallel withand at least abutting the base wall 30 of the first track 22 (see FIG. 4), wherein the base wall 40 extends in a direction transverse to thelongitudinal direction of the tracks and into the channels 35,37 via theopenings 31. In this way, the second track 24 and the first track 22comprise a generally telescoping arrangement, wherein an overall lengthL of the support member 20 may be adjusted. In an embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the second track 24 may also define a rounded freeend 43 extending from the base wall 40 having features similar to thoseset forth above with respect to the rounded free end 33 of base wall 30.

Once inserted in an axial direction of the tracks, the first track 22 iscaptured relative to the second track 24, and motion between the tracksin directions other than the axial direction is prevented. The engagedtracks are slideably expandable and contractible for accommodatingvarious opening spans, and able to support substantial cable loads.

Capturing the sidewalls 42 of the second track 24 within the channels35,37 in the above-described manner greatly increases the load-carryingcapacity of the support member 20 compared to other telescopingarrangements. As shown, bending loads placed on the support member 20act to urge the second track 24 into contact with both the base wall 30of the first track 22 and well as the top wall 36. Accordingly, in orderto increase the load carrying capacity of the support member 20, thethickness of the top wall 36 in a vertical direction is at least doublethat of a thickness of either the sidewalls or the base walls of thefirst and/or the second tracks 22,24. In one embodiment, the top wall 36comprises a square cross-section, aiding in improving the structuralstrength of the member 20, as well as facilitation attachment of thefirst and second sidewalls thereto.

In one exemplary preferred configuration, the base wall 30 and outersidewalls 32 of the first track 22 may be formed from an extruded pieceof material, such as extruded aluminum. The top wall 36 may be formedfrom a square or rectangular piece of stock material which may beaffixed to the outer sidewalls 21 via, for example, welding. Likewise,the opposing inner sidewalls 34 may comprise strips of stock materialwelded to the top wall 36. The second track 24 may be formed fromextruded material, such as an extruded U-shaped aluminum channel. Therounded free ends 33,43 of the first and second tracks 22,24 maycomprise portions of rounded stock, such as quarter round stock affixedto an end of respective base walls 30,40 via, for example, welding.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the channels 35,37 of thefirst track may be capped or otherwise closed on a first end thereof,thereby preventing the second track 24 inserted into a second end of thefirst track 22 from extending past this closed end. In otherembodiments, the channels 35,37 remain open and unobstructed along theentire length of the first track 22, thereby allowing the second track24 to be inserted into the first track 22 from either end thereof. Thecable support member 20 may further include one of more locking featuresconfigured to fix the second track 24 relative to the first track 22 inthe longitudinal direction. In one embodiment, this may be achieved by afastener threaded through the base wall 30 of the first track, wherein afree end of the fastener bears on an underside of the base wall 40 ofthe second track 24 for fixing the first track relative to the secondtrack via friction therebetween.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, each base wall 30,40of the first and second tracks may further define an aperture formedtherethrough and aligned coaxially with an opening defined by arespective one of the receivers 25. In other words, the opening definedby the each receiver 25 may extend through a respective one of the basewalls 30,40. In this way, one or more cables arranged within the cablespace 50 and along substantially the length L of the cable supportmember 20 may be routed through these apertures, into the receivers, andfurther into hollow interiors of the vertical support members where itmay enter/exit proximate a bottom thereof. In this way, embodiments ofthe present disclosure provide provisions for concealing and protectingthe cables in an enclosed manner not only over the length L of the cablesupport member 20, but also in each vertical direction as the cable isguide up to and down from the cable support member. A decorative fabriccover (not shown) may also be provided for enhancing the appearance ofthe cable bridge, enabling its use in more formal settings.

The foregoing illustrates some of the possibilities for practicing theinvention. Many other embodiments are possible within the scope andspirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the foregoingdescription be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and thatthe scope of the invention is given by the appended claims together withtheir full range.

Also, the indefinite articles “a” and “an” preceding an element orcomponent of the invention are intended to be nonrestrictive regardingthe number of instances, that is, occurrences of the element orcomponent. Therefore “a” or “an” should be read to include one or atleast one, and the singular word form of the element or component alsoincludes the plural unless the number is obviously meant to be singular.

The term “invention” or “present invention” as used herein is anon-limiting term and is not intended to refer to any single embodimentof the particular invention but encompasses all possible embodiments asdescribed in the application.

What is claimed is:
 1. An adjustable cable support member, comprising: afirst track defining a first channel extending in a longitudinaldirection thereof, the first track including: a base extending in thelongitudinal direction; a first planar outer sidewall extending from afirst end of the base; a second planar outer sidewall extending from asecond end of the base; a first planar inner sidewall extending parallelto the first outer sidewall in a vertical direction and the longitudinaldirection; and a first top wall connecting the first outer sidewall andthe first inner sidewall, the top wall having a thickness in thevertical direction that is at least twice a thickness of the base or thefirst planar inner or outer sidewalls, the first inner sidewallcomprises a longitudinally extending free end opposite the first topwall, an opening is defined between the free end of the first innersidewall and the base, a height of the opening in the vertical directionis less than a height of the first inner sidewall; and a second track atleast partially received within the first channel of the first track inthe longitudinal direction, the second track slideable with respect tothe first track in the longitudinal direction, the first track and thesecond track defining a cable receiving space extending continuously inthe longitudinal direction over the length of the cable support member.2. The cable support member of claim 1, wherein the first track furthercomprises a second planar inner sidewall attached to a first free end ofthe second outer sidewall and extending parallel to the second outersidewall in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction. 3.The cable support member of claim 2, further comprising a second topwall connecting the first end of the second outer sidewall and thesecond inner sidewall, wherein the first channel is defined by the base,the first outer sidewall and the first inner sidewall, and wherein asecond channel is defined by the base, the second outer sidewall and thesecond inner sidewall.
 4. The cable support member of claim 3, whereinthe second inner sidewall comprises a longitudinally extending free endopposite the second top wall, an opening is defined between the free endof the second inner sidewall and the base, and a height of the openingin the vertical direction is less than a height of the first and secondinner sidewalls.
 5. The cable support member of claim 4, wherein thesecond track includes a base, a first sidewall extending perpendicularlyfrom a first end of the base and a second sidewall extendingperpendicularly from a second end of the base.
 6. The cable supportmember of claim 5, wherein, when the second track is received within thefirst track in the longitudinal direction, the base of the second trackextends parallel to the base of the first track and through the openingsdefined between the free ends of each of the first and second innersidewalls, the first sidewall of the second track is arranged within thefirst channel and the second sidewall of the second track is arrangedwithin the second channel, and the longitudinally extending free ends ofthe first inner sidewall and the second inner sidewall opposing a topsurface of the base of the second track at least partially along theirlengths.
 7. The cable support member of claim 1, wherein the secondtrack is moveable with respect to the first track substantially only inthe longitudinal direction.
 8. The cable support member of claim 5,wherein the base of the first track comprises a rounded free endextending below a remainder of the base of the first track in adirection away from cable receiving space, and the base of the secondtrack comprises a rounded free end on an end opposite the rounded freeend of the first track and extending below a remainder of the base ofthe second track in a direction away from cable receiving space.
 9. Thecable support member of claim 8, wherein an axis of curvature of each ofthe rounded free ends extends in a direction generally transverse to thelongitudinal direction.
 10. A cable support member, comprising: a firsttrack defining a first channel extending in a longitudinal directionthereof, the first track including: a base extending in the longitudinaldirection; a first planar outer sidewall extending from a first end ofthe base; a second planar outer sidewall extending from a second end ofthe base; and a first planar inner sidewall attached to first end of thefirst outer sidewall and extending parallel to the first outer sidewallin a vertical direction and the longitudinal direction; a first top wallconnecting the first outer sidewall and the first inner sidewall, thetop wall having a thickness in the vertical direction that is twice athickness of the base or the first inner or outer sidewalls; a secondtrack at least partially received within the first channel of the firsttrack in the longitudinal direction, the second track slidable withrespect to the first track in the longitudinal direction, the firsttrack and the second track defining a cable receiving space extendingcontinuously in the longitudinal direction over the length of the cablesupport member; a first receiver directly fixedly connected to anunderside of the base of the first track proximate an end of the firsttrack, the first receiver defining a hollow protrusion extending andopening in a vertically downward direction from the base of the firsttrack; a second receiver directly fixedly connected to an underside ofthe base of the second track proximate an end of the second track, thesecond receiver defining a hollow protrusion extending and opening in avertically downward direction from the base of the second track, each ofthe first and second receivers configured to engage with a respectivevertical support member for supporting the cable support member in anelevated position; and first and second vertical support membersreceived within a respective one of the first and second receivers, eachof the vertical support members being adjustable in height independentof the first and second receivers.
 11. The cable support member of claim10, wherein the first and the second vertical support members eachinclude a fixed member and a movable member, the movable memberselectively fixable relative to the fixed member in a plurality ofpositions in the vertical direction.
 12. An adjustable cable supportassembly, comprising: a cable support member defining a cable space overa length thereof for receiving a cable, including: a first trackdefining a first channel and a second channel extending in alongitudinal direction thereof, the first track including: a baseextending in the longitudinal direction, a first outer sidewallextending from a first side of the base: a second outer sidewallextending from a second side of the base; and a first inner sidewallattached to a first end of the first outer sidewall and extendingparallel to the first outer sidewall in a vertical direction and thelongitudinal direction; a first top wall connecting the first outersidewall and the first inner sidewall, the top wall having a thicknessin the vertical direction that is twice a thickness of the base or thefirst inner or outer sidewalls; a second track including: a baseextending in the longitudinal direction; a first sidewall extendingperpendicularly from a first side of the base and slideably receivedwithin the first channel in the longitudinal direction; and a secondsidewall extending perpendicularly from a second side of the base andslideably received within the second channel in the longitudinaldirection for adjusting a length of the cable support member; a firstreceiver directly fixedly connected to an underside of the base of thefirst track proximate an end of the first track, the first receiverdefining a hollow protrusion extending and opening in a verticallydownward direction from the base of the first track; and a secondreceiver directly fixedly connected to an underside of the base of thesecond track proximate an end of the second track, the second receiverdefining a hollow protrusion extending and opening in a verticallydownward direction from the base of the second track; a first verticallyadjustable support including a fixed member and a movable memberreceived within the first receiver; and a second vertically adjustablesupport including a fixed member and a movable member received withinthe second receiver.
 13. The adjustable cable support assembly of claim12, wherein the first track further includes a second inner sidewallattached to a first end of the second outer sidewall and extendingparallel to the second outer sidewall in the vertical direction and thelongitudinal direction, the first and second inner sidewalls compriserespective free ends, wherein an opening is defined in the verticaldirection between the free end of each of the first and second innersidewalls and the base, the openings having a height in the verticaldirection that is less than a height of the first and second innersidewalls.
 14. The adjustable cable support assembly of claim 13,wherein, when the second track is received within the first track in thelongitudinal direction, the base of the second track extends parallel tothe base of the first track and through the openings defined between thefree ends of each of the first and second inner sidewalls, and the firstsidewall of the second track is arranged within the first channel andthe second sidewall of the second track is arranged within the secondchannel.
 15. The adjustable cable support assembly of claim 13, whereinthe first and second outer sidewalls of the first track, the first andsecond inner sidewalls of the first track, and the first and secondsidewalls of the second track define parallel sidewalls extending in thevertical and longitudinal directions.
 16. The adjustable cable supportassembly of claim 13, wherein, with the cable support member supportedby the first and second vertically adjustable supports, longitudinallyextending free ends of the first inner sidewall and the second innersidewall oppose a top surface of the base of the second track at leastpartially along their lengths.
 17. The adjustable cable support assemblyof claim 12, wherein the base of the first track includes a rounded freeend extending below a remainder of the base of the first track in adirection away from cable space, and the base of the second trackincludes a rounded free end on an end opposite the rounded free end ofthe first track and extending below a remainder of the base of thesecond track in a direction away from cable space, an axis of curvatureof each of the rounded free ends extending in a direction generallytransverse to the longitudinal direction.
 18. The cable support memberof claim 1, wherein the second track includes a base, a first sidewallextending perpendicularly from a first side of the base and a secondsidewall extending perpendicularly from a second side of the base.